Swingset for Two
by Paranoidgirl
Summary: A few short vignettes centering around Baatar Jr. and his lot in life.
1. Chapter 1

Zaofu, many years ago.

Baatar Jr. was rushing through the gardens. He overslept and now he was late.

"Shouldn't have worked that long…" He muttered, rushing past a little playground area. He stopped when he heard something… soft sobbing. Tracking back a bit, he could see the source; his little sister, Opal, sitting on one of the two swings of the playground and softly crying to herself. His haste evaporated as he slowly approached her.

"Opal?" He carefully asked. "Are you okay?"

"Win and Wei won't let me play their new game with me." This made Baatar frown as he took a seat on the swing next to Opal's.

"They probably don't want you to get hurt. It does look pretty rough." He tried, but he knew the real reason it upset her that much.

"It's because I can't bend…" Opal said, still sniffling a bit. "That's not fair!"

"If it makes you feel any better… They don't let me play either." Baatar tried.

"You probably wouldn't do any good, even if you were a bender." Opal said, grinning.

"That hurt, Opal." Baatar said, only slightly joking. They shared a small laugh before they both sighed and looked down again. Despite their differences, their grievances were very similar. Still, Baatar Jr. felt he should cheer her up. But how? Looking at the little girl, he finally figured something out as he got up from the swing and got behind her, giving her a little push. This surprised her.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"It's a swing, isn't it? So how about we use it that way?" Baatar Jr. said, giving it another push as his sister started smiling.

"Higher!" She said.

"How high do you want to go?"

"To the sky!"

"You got it!" Baatar said, smiling as he pushed harder. This caused Opal to laugh out loud as she got high up in the air.


	2. Chapter 2

Zaofu, many years later.

Seemed like Opal really did take to the sky.

An Airbender… who would've guessed?

Baatar sighed. He was happy for her, he really was. But he also felt more alone. The only sibling that wasn't a bender… The only one that wasn't special...

He could hear chatter, and as he looked up, he saw a couple of metalbender girls looking at him while chattering. One of them was a girl named Kuvira. He was too shy to admit it, but he kind of fancied her. The two other girls softly pushed her towards him, as she made her way to the other swing and sat down. Baatar could just stare. What was going on?

"Hi." She said.

"Hello…" He softly returned.

"That was… quite something, wasn't it?"

"Considering the last few days, you might want to be more specific." Baatar laughed a little, which she returned, before another awkward silence followed. By now the other girls left, leaving the two of them alone.

"I was mostly talking about Opal." She said. "You two were really close, and now she's left."

"Well, it's not like I'll never see her again." Baatar said. "And I still have the rest of my family here." He said, tough he couldn't help a slightly bitter undertone. "If they even know I exist…" He coughed after that. "I-I mean…"  
"You don't have to hide it." Kuvira said. "I've noticed you."

"You did?" Baatar said. "I figured people saw me as just and extension of my father." He looked down. "A miniature version of him…"

"You're so much more than that." Kuvira said. "None of his plans would've worked if it wasn't for you. And if I may be so bold, you're far more fetching." She added with a sly smile. Baatar just blushed, looking down. That had to be the first time someone complimented him on his looks. Besides the occasional 'You look so much like your father.'

"T-thanks." He eventually stammered. "You're… you're nice-looking yourself." He answered, she smiled in return as a silence fell. However, it was a nice silence. Just sharing a moment. After a while, Kuvira started swinging.

"K-Kuvira?" Baatar stammered.

"It's a swing, isn't it?" She answered.

"I… guess it is." Baatar said, before smiling and joining in. As Kuvira got higher and higher, she eventually jumped off as the swing reached his highest point before gracefully landing a good few feet away. Baatar laughed and jumped as well.

It didn't go as gracefully as he landed face first in a puddle of mud. Almost immediately Kuvira was at his side.

"Baatar?! Are you okay?" She asked, worried as she helped him up.

"I-I'm fine." He stammered, straightening himself as he held her hand. It took them a notch longer than normal to let go as they both laughed softly before looking away shyly.

"Let me just… clean that up for you." Kuvira said, and with one swoop of her arm, the mud was gone.

"I should really head back to work…" Baatar said, before walking off. "I-I really liked spending time with you." Was the final thing he said to Kuvira, who just smiled.

"Same." She answered, before also leaving as each of them went their separate ways.


	3. Chapter 3

Zaofu, three years later

It had been a while since he was here…

That said, it didn't feel like home. Not anymore.

That was what Baatar's taughts were as he made his way through the city. He didn't like it. This was a victory. He should feel happy. Why wasn't he feeling happy?

His wandering brought him to the playground and despite everything, he couldn't help himself as he sat down on one of the swings like so many times before.

"Baatar?" He could hear someone say as he looked up. Kuvira. "What are you doing here? There's much to do."

"I'm sorry, love." Baatar said. "I just… I needed a moment." This softened Kuvira's expression.

"Not as easy as you figured, right?" She said, taking place on the other swing. "It's okay. You're allowed moments of weakness. After all, this place will be gone before long and it has been your home in the past."

"No it wasn't." Baatar said, voice angry. "Zaofu is a place for benders and other special people. I never was one of those, so why should I be sad if it's gone?!" Baatar harshly said, before looking away. His eyes were watering. Brilliant. That meant his glasses would be a mess…

A gloved hand was placed on his, before it was grasped tightly.

"You are special. If anyone says otherwise I will hunt them down." Kuvira told him. And despite his mood, Baatar smiled.

"Same." He said, before letting go. A few moments passed, before a silly taught ran across his mind as he started swinging.

"Baatar?" Kuvira asked, sounding a little incredulous.

"It's a swing, isn't it?" He answered somewhat cheekily. "So why not use it that way?" Kuvira just smirked.

"Baatar, we really don't have time for this…" She tried. He ignored her, before getting to the highest point and jumping off.

"Baatar!"

However, her worries were unfounded, as he managed to land perfectly. Baatar turned around to see Kuvira's surprise quickly wiped from her face for a small smile as she clapped for him.

"You've come a long way."  
"We both did." Baatar said. "Now let's get going. I'd hate to leave the Great Uniter without her desired results."


	4. Chapter 4

Zaofu, again later

Baatar was walking through Zaofu again. Well, dragging himself, more like. So much had happened… and it all weighed down on him heavily. The Earth Empire, gone. And Kuvira… the love of his life… tried to kill him for it.

And now he was back here.

But not for long. Despite helping in taking down the Colossus, he still had to answer for his misdeeds and would go to prison. But when he asked for a final farewell stroll of Zaofu, that wish was granted.

This eventually brought him back to the swings.

The tiniest hint of warmth came to the numbness that by now seemed to have settled comfortably within him. He slowly sat down on it.

There was no one there with him.

He didn't blame them. With his world shattered, all he could see were the mistakes he made and how it affected those he was close to.

His brothers seemed to avoid him. Opal seemed to have searched him out solely to show herself turning away.

His parents were still loving and forgiving, but even that felt wrong. As if they were loving a person that wasn't him. Not any more. Maybe never.

He just felt so hollow. Like his life was supposed to have ended when Kuvira shot that cannon. But yet he was still here. As some sort of spirit or ghost.

Or maybe he did die and this was all some elaborate afterlife meant to punish him.

Baatar shook his head. He needed to do something, _anything_ to stop these feelings. Even if it was for a short while.

So he started swinging.

It helped somewhat. And when he got to the highest point he even managed a smile before jumping off.

He crashed down again. Not in the mud this time, but that probably made it worse. He just sat there, looking down at the ground.

No one called out.

No one picked him up.

And he deserved it.

"I'm sorry…" He whispered as his eyes welled up with tears. "I'm so sorry…" He let them fall. There was nothing left for him to do.

"I'm nothing…"


End file.
